Open Access. Powered by Scholars. Published by Universities.®
Articles 1 - 3 of 3
Full-Text Articles in Physics
Naïve Physics And Quantum Mechanics: The Cognitive Bias Of Everett’S Many-Worlds Interpretation, Andrew Lang
Naïve Physics And Quantum Mechanics: The Cognitive Bias Of Everett’S Many-Worlds Interpretation, Andrew Lang
College of Science and Engineering Faculty Research and Scholarship
We discuss the role that intuitive theories of physics play in the interpretation of quantum mechanics. We compare and contrast naïve physics with quantum mechanics and argue that quantum mechanics is not just hard to understand but that it is difficult to believe, often appearing magical in nature. Quantum mechanics is often discussed in the context of "quantum weirdness" and quantum entanglement is known as "spooky action at a distance." This spookiness is more than just because quantum mechanics doesn't match everyday experience; it ruffles the feathers of our naïve physics cognitive module. In Everett's many-worlds interpretation of quantum mechanics, …
Visualizing Atomic Orbitals Using Second Life, Andrew Lang, David C. Kobilnyk
Visualizing Atomic Orbitals Using Second Life, Andrew Lang, David C. Kobilnyk
College of Science and Engineering Faculty Research and Scholarship
We demonstrate the usefulness of Second Life as a platform for enlivening major concepts in chemistry education. These concepts include absorption spectra, selection rules, quantum numbers, and atomic orbital shapes. We have built several exhibits in Second Life which provide 3-dimensional interactivity for each of those areas: an interactive experiment showing the absorption spectrum of hydrogen, an interactive model of selection rules showing allowed and forbidden transitions for each state, a 3-dimensional grid of orbitals showing the constraints on the values of quantum numbers, and a large-scale interactive orbital display allowing the user to choose and rotate to-scale atomic orbitals …
The Electromagnetic Field Near A Dielectric Half-Space, Andrew Lang, Dr. Adam D. Helfer
The Electromagnetic Field Near A Dielectric Half-Space, Andrew Lang, Dr. Adam D. Helfer
College of Science and Engineering Faculty Research and Scholarship
We compute the expectations of the squares of the electric and magnetic fields in the vacuum region outside a half-space filled with a uniform non-dispersive dielectric. This gives predictions for the Casimir-Polder force on an atom in the "retarded" regime near a dielectric. We also find a positive energy density due to the electromagnetic field. This would lead, in the case of two parallel dielectric half-spaces, to a positive, separation-independent contribution to the energy density, besides the negative, separation-dependent Casimir energy. Rough estimates suggest that for a very wide range of cases, perhaps including all realizable ones, the total energy …